Where to find Toro and/or Otoro in Sydney?

[infernooo]

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if anyone knew where I could purchase some Toro or Otoro (fatty and super fatty Tuna belly) for making sashimi ? The only place I can think of are the auctions at the fish markets, but I don't believe I have access to them.

Getting "sashimi grade" tuna and salmon is easy (even though it is pretty easy to label them as such and get away with it), but I can't find the _REALLY_ good stuff :-(.

Anyways if anyone knows where I can get my hands on these goodies in or around Sydney (preferably near Sydney city or Eastern suburbs) I would be very grateful !

Thanks!

[Taubear]

Why don't you try asking your local fish monger to get it for you. They will have access to the fish auctions

[infernooo]

Yeah I might give that a go... I've been ringing around and I'll tell you what - it's bloody hard to find! (not to mention the fact that most people have no idea what I'm talking about, even when I tell them exactly what I'm after...)

[Shalmanese]

Does Australia have a native tuna fishing industry? If not then I suspect most of the otoro is being diverted to Japan so very little actually shows up on the Australian market. When it does, you would be paying Japanese prices for it.

[Shinboners]

Does Australia have a native tuna fishing industry? If not then I suspect most of the otoro is being diverted to Japan so very little actually shows up on the Australian market. When it does, you would be paying Japanese prices for it.

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Food Lovers Guide had a story on the Australian tuna fishing industry. The industry is based in South Australia, and iirc, the Japanese buyers buy the best tuna within hours of the boats returning to port.

[Kaitenzushi]

Any update on this ?

I have never seen toro anywhere in Australia, not even in the retail part of the Sydney fish markets.

Maybe dockside in South Australia is the only way.

[piazzola]

Does Australia have a native tuna fishing industry? If not then I suspect most of the otoro is being diverted to Japan so very little actually shows up on the Australian market. When it does, you would be paying Japanese prices for it.

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If you weren't a foreigner I would take your statement as an insult.But often people pay Japanese prices most of them Aussies who like to show off

[insomniac]

Does Australia have a native tuna fishing industry? If not then I suspect most of the otoro is being diverted to Japan so very little actually shows up on the Australian market. When it does, you would be paying Japanese prices for it.

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If you weren't a foreigner I would take your statement as an insult.But often people pay Japanese prices most of them Aussies who like to show off

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hunh? Shalmanese is an Aussie and as a fellow Australian I fail to find an insult in his post.

on the tuna topic there is a burgeoning and very successful land-based tuna breeding programme in South Australia, perhaps we will be seeing otoro on the domestic market in the near future. Regarding deep sea tuna fishing, Australia has just accused Japan of under reporting by 50% its tuna catch for the past few years after a forensic study of the amount of tuna used in Japan compared with the amount declared as caught. Maybe the dispute will result in an Oz tuna boycott and more tuna staying at home (we hope)

[Shalmanese]

Does Australia have a native tuna fishing industry? If not then I suspect most of the otoro is being diverted to Japan so very little actually shows up on the Australian market. When it does, you would be paying Japanese prices for it.

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If you weren't a foreigner I would take your statement as an insult.But often people pay Japanese prices most of them Aussies who like to show off

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I too would like to know what you found so insulting about that comment.

[helenjp]

Well, anyway, just in case anybody remembers the original query, I wonder if Infernoo found any toro or ootoro grade tuna???

I'm curious to know how much of the local sashimi market is locally supplied!

[infernooo]

I found Zilch - spent a lot of time and made a lot of phone calls too

[helenjp]

Ah well. It was good to know, thanks!

[jango]

I found Zilch - spent a lot of time and made a lot of phone calls too

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Are you still looking? My family is in the seafood, including tuna, business in Port Lincoln.

You won't get it dockside.

You need to make contact with the people who actually do the fishing and they can direct you to the retail sources. Google "David Ellis Tuna Boat Owner's Association" and you will come up with some contact info.

Good luck - it's worth pursuing and it is available.

[infernooo]

I'm always looking for it :-)

I had some hopeful times thanks to an article in Good Living food section of the Sydney Morning Herald, but it turned out to be a dead end :-(.

[jkim]

I'm not sure how fish markets work IR tuna, but as far as I'm aware, you can buy a whole fish early in the morning at the market (I usually buy whole yellowtail and salmon for my home-made sashimi needs). Can't you get a whole Tuna fish and cut the relevant bit (underside of the belly for toro if I'm not wrong) yourself?

Granted, it would cost a fortune, but then you'd have a tonne of regular tuna sashimi, and bones for the traditional korean/japanese sashimi left over boullibouse (korean one is mae woon tang, japanese one not sure name of, only difference as far as I can remember is the liberal use of chilli powder/paste in the korean version, and sometimes miso is used in japanese version).

[Shalmanese]

Doesn't a whole tuna weigh several hundred pounds? That seems a touch impractical just to enjoy some otoro. OTOH, if you do decide to do this, make sure you get the side that isn't touching the ice. I've heard there's a significant price difference between the two sides of the Tuna.